President Huftalin gives state lawmakers update on SLCC

Salt Lake Community College Interim President Dr. Deneece Huftalin on Friday gave the Utah Legislature’s Higher Education Appropriation Subcommittee an update on how the College is doing.

“I just want to put a little shout out to the Scenic West Athletic Conference,” Interim President Huftalin started out. “Our Women’s Basketball Team is currently seventh in the nation. … Our Women’s Volleyball team just came in fourth in the nation. So, we also have athletics down at Salt Lake Community College, a fact that not many people know. So, a little shout out to our student athletes.”

From there Dr. Huftalin explained to lawmakers that, in terms of size, the College is just smaller than St. George and slightly larger than South Jordan in terms of how many people work at and attend the school. Just as those cities have to “scan their landscapes,” understand budgets and move money to address priorities, particularly as they relate to growth, so does the College.

“We are doing that all of the time,” said Dr. Huftalin, who brought along a visual aid to illustrate her point. “This binder represents two months worth of budget transactions at the college.”

Those transactions, she noted, represent how the College is trying to be more efficient with the funds provided by the state.

Dr. Huftalin also pointed out how, out of 1,200 community colleges in the nation, Salt Lake Community College is currently ranked fourth in terms of producing the most students with associate degrees.

“I terms of student success,” she said, “I think we’re doing a very good job.”

President Huftalin was appointed last November by the Utah State Board of Regents after former President Cynthia Bioteau announced she would be leaving to become president of Florida State College at Jacksonville.

In her online message to students, Dr. Huftalin urged them to embrace the “wow” at SLCC.

“College is about engaging with new ideas, challenging your thinking, experiencing diverse perspectives, and approaching concepts with renewed vision,” she said. “Indulge in that experience as a learner.”

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